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Masters of international jazz are coming

Every year, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival gets bigger and better. Now celebrating its fifteenth birthday, the 2013 festival features international and local jazz legends in concert at various Melbourne venues with late-night art parties, film screenings, masterclasses and daily free concerts. We've curated a list of must-sees.

1. Snarky Puppy

This Texas-based instrumental, fusion group make their Australian debut with a high-energy live performance.

Snarky Puppy, what do you sound like?
A combination of the things we love from every kind of music we've ever heard. Think of it as creative, highly-arranged-but-very-improvised instrumental pop.

What has been your most transcendental musical experience?
Hearing Dave Brubeck's arrangement of the Pange Lingua mass at age 17 in Washington, DC's Constitution Hall with a full orchestra and classical choir.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival?
Chucho Valdes, for sure. I've always wanted to see him live after listening to his records thousands of times.

Stephen Bruner is known for his "mutant jazz cat" chops on bass, that have seen him recruited by everyone from Suicidal Tendencies to Erykah Badu.

Thundercat, what do you sound like?
I don't know how to describe it. I can say that there's a lot of love and creativity put into the production and creation of the album.

What has been your most transcendental musical experience?
One of those moments would be the creation of the Flying Lotus album Cosmogramma, which I played on. It was like we were totally in sync, wholly, and to this day every time I see the album cover it sends me down this emotional memory path that makes me smile.

Influential composer, arranger and violinist Migeul Atwood-Ferguson makes his first Australian appearance for the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Bringing a talented supporting ensemble, Atwood-Ferguson bridges the gap between orchestral and jazz music in a one-night-only performance.

Miguel, what do you sound like?
Like swimming in the ocean. Sometimes it's peaceful and fun. At other times it's exhilarating, otherworldly, informative, revealing. And at other times it's dark, moody, unrelentless and dangerous.

What has been your most transcendental musical experience?
Creating and performing 'Suite' for Ma Dukes.